Multiplayer Modes You Never Knew Existed in Your Favorite Games

10 November 2025

Let’s be honest—when we think of multiplayer gaming, we often picture epic battles in Call of Duty, chaotic building in Fortnite, or a group of friends yelling at each other in Mario Kart. But what if I told you there are multiplayer modes hidden within your favorite games that you’ve likely never touched—or even heard of?

These secret, underrated, or just plain overlooked multiplayer gems can completely change the way you experience your go-to titles. Ready to take a trip down the rabbit hole of quirky couch co-op, strange online experiments, and brilliant side modes? Buckle up, because we’re diving headfirst into the bizarre and brilliant world of multiplayer modes you never knew existed in your favorite games.

1. Hidden Versus Mode – Tetris DS

Yes, you read that right. Tetris DS—everybody’s favorite puzzle game—has a surprisingly competitive multiplayer mode. Beyond the basic competitive “who-clears-lines-the-fastest” setup, there's a special Push Mode where two players battle to push each other up the screen like a tug-of-war made of tetrominoes.

Doesn’t sound like much? Trust me, it gets intense. Especially when both players are evenly matched and the screen starts shifting back and forth like a Newton’s Cradle on steroids.

Why You Probably Didn’t Know

Push Mode is tucked away behind multiple menu options. Plus, most people played Tetris DS solo while commuting or waiting in a dentist’s office. But team up with a friend (or foe), and you'll find this hidden treasure that actually has solid strategic depth.

2. The Cat-and-Mouse Mode – Halo 3's "Infection"

Halo 3 was already legendary for its online multiplayer. But did you ever try the Infection mode?

In this mode, one player begins as a zombie and tries to "infect" the remaining survivors by killing them. As each human falls, they join the undead. The last human standing becomes the ultimate target.

Why It’s a Hidden Gem

Infection started as a custom game type and eventually got official support. It was chaotic, spooky, and surprisingly tactical. And if you were “that guy” hiding in a corner with a shotgun for 10 minutes, you know exactly how nerve-wracking (and hilarious) this mode could get.

It wasn’t part of the main matchmaking playlist early on, so unless you were deep into the Halo custom game community, you might have missed this undead party.

3. Splinter Cell’s Spies vs. Mercs – A Game of Cat & Mouse

Back in the early 2000s, while shooters were getting all the love, Splinter Cell was out here doing its own thing. Its Spies vs. Mercs mode was like chess mixed with hide-and-seek… in the dark… with tasers and grenades.

Imagine this: two spies sneak around in third-person, relying on stealth. Meanwhile, mercenaries play in first-person, loaded with gadgets, hunting them like futuristic ghostbusters.

Why It’s So Unique

No other game dared to pit players with such radically different playstyles against each other. It wasn’t just "you shoot, I shoot." It was a battle of wits, patience, and strategy. If invisibility cloaks and motion sensors sound like your kind of playground, you missed out big time.

4. Assassin’s Creed Brotherhood – Multiplayer? Wait, What?

Before Fortnite dances made their way into history classes, Assassin’s Creed tried its hand at something weirdly sophisticated: deception-based multiplayer.

In this mode, players were given targets to eliminate while trying to blend into a crowd. At the same time, you were being hunted by someone else. It felt like a multiplayer version of Clue, with extra parkour and hidden blades.

So Why Didn't It Catch On?

Simple—most people didn’t expect a stealthy, story-driven series to have multiplayer at all. And with newer Assassin’s Creed games dropping the feature entirely, it's become a forgotten relic of one of gaming's biggest franchises.

If you liked Among Us, trust me, you would’ve loved this ten years ago.

5. The Chaos of Party Mode – Worms Armageddon

You’ve probably played Worms. Heck, you’ve probably blown up your own team with a poorly-timed banana bomb. But did you know Worms Armageddon has a “Party Mode” that allows for 6 or more players (local or online) to join in absolute anarchy?

You can form teams, create weird alliances, or just turn it into a complete free-for-all. Want to fight on the moon with gravity set to “why even bother”? Go for it. You can customize almost every rule.

Why It's Overlooked

The developers never really advertised it front and center. You had to dig around in the settings to unlock the wild stuff. And let’s face it, not everyone back then had enough controllers or friends willing to figure out LAN settings at a sleepover.

6. PES’s Random Team Match – Soccer Meets Surprise

If you’ve ever played the Pro Evolution Soccer (PES) series, you probably know it for its realism and tight gameplay. But buried within its game modes is a Random Selection Match mode that isn't just filler—it’s genius.

In this mode, you and your opponent are given randomly selected squads pulled from various teams. But here's the twist—you can pick players to protect, attempt to steal players from your rival, and even sabotage each other’s lineups.

Hidden Strategic Depth

This mode turns traditional soccer gameplay into a strategic draft and psychological battle. It's less about knowing Manchester United’s entire formation and more about adapting quickly to a team with Lionel Messi… and some guy from a second-tier league in Kazakhstan.

7. Gears of War’s Horde 2.0 – Teamwork on Steroids

You might be thinking, “Horde mode isn’t hidden!” But Gears of War 3’s Horde 2.0, specifically with its fortification system, took things to another level.

It introduced base building, resource management, and class roles—way before those ideas were mainstream in shooters. You had engineers, scouts, snipers, and more, all working like a squad training for World War Z.

Why It Flew Under the Radar

Most folks saw “Horde” and assumed it was just wave-based survival. But beneath the surface, Horde 2.0 was basically a co-op RTS fused with intense third-person gunplay. It was Fortnite before Fortnite learned to build.

8. Minecraft's Battle Mini-Game – The Hunger Games on a Budget

Okay, you’ve mined, you’ve crafted, and you’ve fallen into lava more times than you can count. But have you ever tried Minecraft's console-exclusive Battle Mini-Game?

It was Mojang’s twist on the battle royale craze before it truly exploded. Players dropped into a small arena with limited resources. You had to scavenge chests, stay alive, and outwit others. Hunger Games vibes, but blockier.

Why You Might’ve Missed It

It was super isolated—available only on older console versions of Minecraft. PC players never saw it, and it quietly disappeared when the Bedrock Edition unified all platforms.

Shame, because it was a no-frills, couch-friendly take on battle royale that scratched the itch without the need for 100 players or massive downloads.

9. Resident Evil Outbreak – Zombies + Co-op = Magic

Before Left 4 Dead or Dead By Daylight, there was Resident Evil Outbreak—a PlayStation 2 title with online multiplayer, way ahead of its time. You and up to three others were thrown into survival scenarios across Raccoon City, each with unique characters and limited communication tools.

There was no voice chat. Instead, you had to rely on preset phrases like “Help me!” or “Thanks,” often leading to hilarious misunderstandings or accidental abandonments.

So Why Was It Forgotten?

Simple—poor network infrastructure at the time, and a console audience that wasn't used to online play. But with today’s tech? A modern remaster would absolutely crush it.

10. Zelda Four Swords Adventures – Couch Co-Op Goodness

The Legend of Zelda has always been a legendary solo journey. But Nintendo tossed that idea out the window with Four Swords Adventures, a GameCube title that used Game Boy Advance consoles as controllers.

Confused? Yeah, it was kind of a logistical nightmare. Each player needed a GBA and a link cable to connect to the GameCube. But when it worked—it was magic. Solving puzzles and battling enemies as a team of four differently-colored Links? So good.

Why It’s a Hidden Treasure

Because barely anyone had the hardware setup to enjoy it. It was multiplayer brilliance trapped inside a box of technical requirements.

Final Thoughts

Gaming is way deeper than we give it credit for. While we flock to the most popular modes that everyone’s screaming about on Twitch, there's a whole world of brilliant, underappreciated multiplayer experiences waiting for you. Sometimes they're hidden behind menus, sometimes they're lost to time, but they all prove one thing:

Multiplayer doesn’t have to mean battle royale or deathmatch. Sometimes it means deception. Sometimes it’s stealth. Sometimes it’s four Links solving a puzzle with Game Boy Advance controllers. And sometimes—it’s just the joy of discovering something new in a game you thought you already knew inside out.

So next time you boot up your favorite game, take a peek behind that “More Modes” tab. Who knows what strange and wonderful gameplay is waiting for you?